There are conventional games that are played by successively clearing a plurality of game stages. In games of this type, one game stage is the minimum unit of game play. That is, a game play stops when the player clears one game stage, and then the game play resumes at the start of the next game stage.
With such conventional games, only one game stage is played over a continuous game play period, and the game play may possibly become monotonous and bore the user. When the user plays a plurality of game stages, the game play discontinues at the end of each game stage, possibly making the user feel like the game is interrupted.
Therefore, the present application discloses a storage medium storing a game program whereby the game play is unlikely to be monotonous, an information processing system, an information processing device, and a game processing method. The present application also discloses a storage medium storing a game program whereby the user can play the game with a good tempo, an information processing system, an information processing device, and a game processing method.
(1)
An example of a storage medium described herein is a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a game program to be executed on a computer of an information processing device. The game program causes the computer to function as a generation unit and a game process unit. The generation unit generates a game field for each of a plurality of game stages. The game process unit executes a game process of controlling a player object in response to an operation by a user in a game stage for which the game field has been generated.
The game process unit determines whether the user has cleared or failed to clear the game stage. In response to a determination that the user has cleared the game stage, the game process unit starts the game process for a next game stage while maintaining a state of the player object at the time of clearing. In response to a determination that the user has failed to clear the game stage, the game process unit starts the game process for a next game stage.
With configuration (1) above, the game program allows the user to continuously play a plurality of game stages. Therefore, the user can experience a plurality of game stages in a single game play, and it is possible to provide the user with a game play that is less likely to be monotonous. With configuration (1) above, the next game stage is started, irrespective of whether the user has cleared or failed to clear the current game stage, and the user can therefore play the game with a good tempo.
(2)
In response to the determination that the user has failed to clear the game stage, the game process unit may start the game process for the next game stage while setting the state of the player object to an initial state.
With configuration (2) above, the state of the player object for the next game stage is varied between when the user has cleared the game stage and when the user has failed to clear the game stage. Thus, it is possible to motivate the user to play so as not to fail to clear the current stage. Therefore, it is possible to avoid detracting from the playability of the game in an embodiment where the user can play the next stage even if the user fails to clear the current stage.
(3)
The generation unit may generate the game field of each game stage by selecting, based on a predetermined probability, and using at least one of a plurality of game fields that are provided in advance.
With configuration (3) above, game fields to be played continuously are generated with a degree of randomness, and it is therefore possible to provide combinations of game fields that are less likely to bore the user.
(4)
In response to the determination that the user has cleared or failed to clear a game stage, the generation unit may generate the game field for the next game stage.
With configuration (4) above, the game field for the next game stage is generated after the end of the current game stage. Then, as compared with a case in which game fields for a plurality of game stages are generated before the start of a game play, it is possible to shorten the amount of time until the start of the first game stage.
(5)
The game field generated by the generation unit for the next game stage may be varied between when it is determined that the user has cleared the game stage and when it is determined that the user has failed to clear the game stage.
With configuration (5) above, the game field for the next game stage can be set to a field of appropriate content depending on whether the user has cleared or failed to clear the current game stage. For example, when the user has failed to clear the current game stage, it is possible to lower the difficulty level of the next game stage as compared with a case in which the user has cleared the current game stage. Thus, it is possible to adjust the difficulty level of the game stage depending on the user's gaming skills.
(6)
The generation unit may determine the game field for the next game stage based on the user's play result for the game stage.
With configuration (6) above, it is possible to set the game field for the next game stage to a field of appropriate content depending on the play result of the current game stage. For example, when the play result is better than a predetermined reference level, the next game stage may be set to a special stage (e.g., a bonus stage), and it is therefore possible to improve the playability of the game.
(7)
The game process unit may end a single game play on a condition that the number of game stages that the user has cleared or failed to clear or the number of game stages that the user has cleared has reached a predetermined number.
With configuration (7) above, a single game play is ended when the number of game stages the user has played or the number of game stages the user has cleared has reached a predetermined number. Thus, it is easy for the user to understand when a single game play ends.
(8)
The game process unit may end a single game play on a condition that the number of game stages that the user has cleared or failed to clear has reached a predetermined number. The game process unit may calculate a numerical value representing a play result for each game stage during the single game play. The game process unit may calculate, as a numerical value representing a play result for the single game play, a sum of the numerical values that have been calculated for the game stages during the single game play.
With configuration (8) above, the numerical value representing the play result for a single game play is the sum of numerical values that have been calculated for the game stages, irrespective of whether the user has cleared or failed to clear each of the game stages. That is, the numerical value representing the play result for a single game play includes those numerical values for the game stages that the user has failed to clear. Therefore, it is possible to calculate, as the numerical value representing the play result for a single game play, a numerical value that reflects the play results for those game stages that the user has failed to clear.
(9)
In the game process, the game process unit may execute a first process of automatically advancing the game, independent of operations by the user, and a second process of controlling an action of the player object in response to an operation by the user.
With configuration (9) above, in each game stage, the game advances automatically, irrespective of operations by the user. Therefore, with configuration (9) above, the game advances automatically through a plurality of game stages in a single game play, and the transition from one game stage to the next is also done automatically. Thus, the game can be played uninterruptedly throughout the single game play.
(10)
The game process unit may execute a process of moving the player object in a predetermined direction in the game field as the first process, and execute a process of causing the player object to make an action that is different from the movement of the first process in response to an operation by the user as the second process.
With configuration (10) above, the player object is controlled to move automatically to advance through the game, while the player object makes an action that is difference from the movement in response to an operation by the user. Thus, the user can play the game uninterruptedly and can cause the player object to make an action in accordance with an operation by the user.
(11)
The generation unit may generate a game field including a goal therein for each game stage. In the game process, the game process unit may determine that the user has cleared a game stage when the player object has reached the goal.
With configuration (11) above, since a goal is set in each of the game stages in a single game play, it is possible to give the user, for each game stage, the sense of achievement for clearing the stage. Since the user can clearly recognize the separation between game stages, the user is less likely to feel that the game is monotonous even when the user is made to continuously play a plurality of game stages.
(12)
The game process unit may start a game process by placing the player object at a predetermined start position in the next game stage, irrespective of whether there is an operation by the user, in response to a determination that the user has cleared or failed to clear the game stage.
With configuration (12) above, since the player object is automatically placed at the start position in the next game stage, it is possible to allow the user to play a plurality of game stages uninterruptedly.
Note that disclosed herein is an example of an information processing device or an information processing system configured to execute the processes of the various units set forth in (1) to (12) above (this is not limited to embodiments in which the processes are executed by a program). Also disclosed herein is an example of a game processing method in which the processes of the various units set forth in (1) to (12) above are executed by a computer.
With the storage medium storing a game program, the information processing system, the information processing device and the game processing method set forth above, it is possible to make the game play unlikely to be monotonous. With the storage medium storing a game program, the information processing system, the information processing device and the game processing method set forth above, the user can play the game with a good tempo.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.